Tuesday

Groundhog Day

Manana, February 2nd, is Groundhog Day. The holiday began as a German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, and has its origins in ancient Europeanweather lore, wherein a badgeror sacred bear is the "prognosticator." Sounds fancy.

Dear, groundhoggy Punxsatawney Phil the 33rd will either come out of his little home for a brief suntan . . . or burrow down in his underground chamber for a long, dreary spring-winter, thereby ruining my week.

And a sacred badger?! Hello, Wisconsin is only a full-fledged badger town-slash-state. Why isn't this a local holiday?